Monday, November 29, 2010

My grandmother's Noritaki China Japan #5516 tea cup provides the backdrop to display this dainty pink macaron. This is the first time I have added color to the batter. The gel color was maroon. I didn't know how much to add; I should have added more to achieve the color on the bottle.

Nevertheless, the shells are pretty. The shells were transferred to the freezer and will be filled at a later date.

The batter is colored and ready to pipe

piped and drying

just out of the oven; I never tire of watching through the oven door for the feet!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

I enjoyed the bourbon balls (actually, more than I enjoyed the bourbon) during my fall visit along the KY Bourbon trail. My adaptation of the sweet treat is not as pretty as those in KY; however, they are quite tasty.

I coated the centers with semi -sweet chocolate; in the future I'll use milk chocolate. These received a 'perfect' from Nephew A. That's good enough for me!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

macaron #7, #11 - I adjusted this basic recipe slightly, and my macarons were not as pretty as I had hoped. I should have given the batter one or two more turns. However, the oils from the tea gave these macarons a great flavor. And, experience is the best teacher!

I added two bags of Seattle's Pike Place Market - MarketSpice's signature tea, Cinnamon-Orange to the macaron batter.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The taste of the shell is good, but the interior texture needs more research. I think it's too chewy, and that could be because I think I have under-baked the shells. Since I don't have 'the real thing' to sample, I'll continue reading and researching. There are many, many opinions on the internet regarding macarons.

The shells are made from a basic macaron recipe of egg whites, granulated and powdered sugar, and almond meal. I added the seeds of a vanilla bean to the batter to create speckles on the surface of the shells.

This is ADDICTIVE. One bite leads to - ten bites - leads to twelve cups.
Yes, over a period of days, 'I ate the whole thing!' And-it-was-delicious.

The popcorn was at it's absolute peak of flavor just out of the oven and slightly cooled; however, it's flavor and texture were great days later. The outside of the popcorn was sweet and crunchy, and the inside of the popcorn kernel was soft.

About Me

food photographer, office manager, weekend baker
At any time, I'm probably reading three books...one for fun, one about cooking, and one photography book.
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